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pseudopod's review against another edition
5.0
I'm on a big fantasy kick right now and picked up this series again, which I originally read as a preteen.
I'm impressed by how much they've lived up to my positive memories of them, particularly this book. This moves at a quicker pace, and the various races of fantastic creatures that appealed so much to my younger self are explored more. The characters are better realized in this book, with a lot of the more peripheral characters in book one getting attention. The plot of this one is strong and keeps you hooked, particularly Jan's stay amongst human owned horses. The prose is clear and vivid.
Overall, this series is a good pick for any fantasy or xenofiction fan.
I'm impressed by how much they've lived up to my positive memories of them, particularly this book. This moves at a quicker pace, and the various races of fantastic creatures that appealed so much to my younger self are explored more. The characters are better realized in this book, with a lot of the more peripheral characters in book one getting attention. The plot of this one is strong and keeps you hooked, particularly Jan's stay amongst human owned horses. The prose is clear and vivid.
Overall, this series is a good pick for any fantasy or xenofiction fan.
annalisenak97's review against another edition
3.0
More angsty unicorns. This one expands the world of the last book and throws Jan into the human world for half the book. That part was really interesting and the philosophy on which the world operates is very cool, and I definitely liked this book better than the last. It still feels a bit pretentious, and Jan's story wasn't as interesting to me as the stories of what was going on with the rest of the herd. Some of the language and description is difficult to understand, but overall the characterization is better and the plot is pretty strong.
rachelhelps's review against another edition
2.0
The second book of this unicorn series was not as good as the first. Things seemed contrived and the plot didn't move very quickly... it's no wonder I didn't finish the series as a kid.
mishasbooknook's review against another edition
5.0
This book in the Firebringer trilogy brings Jan to the humans and does a masterful job of conveying so many interesting elements. This is an expertly crafted fantasy and it's such a treat to read. I still consider this and the trilogy it is part of some of the best fantasy I've ever read.
emtees's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
The second book in the Firebringer series, Dark Moon sees Jan separated from the other unicorns and carried off a city full of humans, where he is both mistaken for a messenger from the Horse God Dai’chon, and treated as a prisoner. The humans don’t believe horses or unicorns are sentient, and Jan has to content with a society that treats his people as beasts of burden and sacrifices them to their god. It doesn’t help that he has lost all memory of who he really is. Meanwhile, back in the Vale of the Unicorns, Jan’s father, Korr, is leading their people down a path of madness and destruction, convinced that Jan’s “death” is a sign that their Goddess, Alma, is displeased. Jan’s pregnant mate, Tek, is forced to flee the Vale when Korr turns on her, and seek refuge with her own mysterious mother, Jah-lila the Red Mare, a sorceress and prophet of Alma. There, Tek learns that a lot of the stories she’s been raised on aren’t exactly true.
I enjoyed this book, though not quite as much as the first one. Part of that was that it just used a couple tropes, such as the amnesia trope or the mysterious-ally-who-knows-everything-but-won’t-explain trope (seriously, Jah-lila gets annoying), that I never enjoy. But Birth of the Firebringer also had a mythological feel to it that was really unique, while this book is more concrete in its storytelling and worldbuilding. It was still very enjoyable. I still really like how this world is dominated by animals; though we do have humans now, the focal point is still the unicorns, and so everything is from their perspective. It was neat to see Jan’s take on familiar concepts like cities, kings, religious bodies, etc. We also met several new species of sentient animals, including the narwhals, sea-born cousins to the unicorns, and the herons, allies of the unicorns. The herons were especially funny, like a whole species of Disney sidekicks.
While the main plot focuses on Jan’s struggle to escape the humans and Tek’s quest to survive a harsh winter when her people have turned against her, the larger plot of the series is still happening in the background. Jan and a few closest to him now know that he is the Firebringer, destined to defeat the wyrms and restore the unicorns to their homeland, though he has no idea what that really means or how he is supposed to do it. There is some progress on that storyline by the end of this book. I really liked that the theme of how history depends on perspective, introduced in the first book, continues here. Jan’s eyes are opened to some of the ways his own people’s prejudices have shaped their history and by the end of the book he’s looking to change that. The final chapter promises that we will see what being the Firebringer really means, not just for Jan and the unicorns, but for the whole world, in the last book in the trilogy.
So now for the weird thing. Spoilers for a plot point that’s hinted at but not really clarified: A mystery is introduced in this book when we learn that Teki, Tek’s acknowledged father, is not actually her biological father. Jah-lila is vague about the identity of Tek’s real father, but while it is never outright stated, there is a lot in this book that implies that it is actually Korr, and that Tek and Jan are half-siblings as well as wedded mates. Which is definitely not a plotline that I expected in what is, technically, a YA novel about talking animals, if an unusually thoughtful one, though in some ways it fits with the mythological feel of this world. I’m not sure if that’s where the story is going, but I thought I’d mention it.
I enjoyed this book, though not quite as much as the first one. Part of that was that it just used a couple tropes, such as the amnesia trope or the mysterious-ally-who-knows-everything-but-won’t-explain trope (seriously, Jah-lila gets annoying), that I never enjoy. But Birth of the Firebringer also had a mythological feel to it that was really unique, while this book is more concrete in its storytelling and worldbuilding. It was still very enjoyable. I still really like how this world is dominated by animals; though we do have humans now, the focal point is still the unicorns, and so everything is from their perspective. It was neat to see Jan’s take on familiar concepts like cities, kings, religious bodies, etc. We also met several new species of sentient animals, including the narwhals, sea-born cousins to the unicorns, and the herons, allies of the unicorns. The herons were especially funny, like a whole species of Disney sidekicks.
While the main plot focuses on Jan’s struggle to escape the humans and Tek’s quest to survive a harsh winter when her people have turned against her, the larger plot of the series is still happening in the background. Jan and a few closest to him now know that he is the Firebringer, destined to defeat the wyrms and restore the unicorns to their homeland, though he has no idea what that really means or how he is supposed to do it. There is some progress on that storyline by the end of this book. I really liked that the theme of how history depends on perspective, introduced in the first book, continues here. Jan’s eyes are opened to some of the ways his own people’s prejudices have shaped their history and by the end of the book he’s looking to change that. The final chapter promises that we will see what being the Firebringer really means, not just for Jan and the unicorns, but for the whole world, in the last book in the trilogy.
So now for the weird thing. Spoilers for a plot point that’s hinted at but not really clarified:
Content Warnings
Moderate: Pregnancy and Slavery
Minor: Incest
All the warnings apply to sentient animals, not humans. The incest warning is only implied, not stated outright, and may be a red herring.jemofabook's review
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Reread: All-time Favorite
I love these books. I loved that we got to follow Tek in this one as well as Jan. Tek was one of my favorite characters growing up. I love the Summer Sea and what we learn about the world, but I think this is my least favorite of the trilogy.
Also, reading again as an adult, I have really come to realize how awkward the language is in this book. It's just kind of bizarre in points, and I definitely don't understand why they couldn't have spoken in a more modern dialect. This book it is worse than the first for sure. But as it is a treasured favorite it just sort of surprised me, rather than me disliking it.
I was a bit foggy on what occurred when in these books, so I'm excited to go into the third book as it has some of my favorite pieces of the series!
I love these books. I loved that we got to follow Tek in this one as well as Jan. Tek was one of my favorite characters growing up. I love the Summer Sea and what we learn about the world, but I think this is my least favorite of the trilogy.
Also, reading again as an adult, I have really come to realize how awkward the language is in this book. It's just kind of bizarre in points, and I definitely don't understand why they couldn't have spoken in a more modern dialect. This book it is worse than the first for sure. But as it is a treasured favorite it just sort of surprised me, rather than me disliking it.
I was a bit foggy on what occurred when in these books, so I'm excited to go into the third book as it has some of my favorite pieces of the series!
unicornrhyfedd's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Xenophobia, Racial slurs, Fire/Fire injury, Outing, Pregnancy, Slavery, and Police brutality
torts's review against another edition
5.0
This book was pretty good. It wasn't great, but I gave it five stars because I am so very proud that I found out what it was called without remembering the author or title or really anything aside from the fact that there is a black unicorn that gets stranded with horses after being in the sea...or something. Mostly I just remembered a few flashes of the way I pictured the story...I think it's part of a series, but I've only read this one. Yay for unicorns.
readingthroughthelists's review
3.0
While I quite like Pierce's interesting take on a unicorn society (with humans cast here at the villains, enslaving horses, or daya to their will), I didn't find Dark Moon as exciting as Birth of the Firebringer. I often get lost in books that make up names for human objects we already know (ie. boats, coins, etc.) and I got a bit annoyed that Jan seemed to have lost his wits as well as his name, spending much of the story oblivious to things are are perfectly obvious to the reader.
Still, Pierce has a beautiful writing style and I will continue on to the third one with interest.
Still, Pierce has a beautiful writing style and I will continue on to the third one with interest.
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